Legal Aid Commission of Victoria
On 1 September 1981, we officially opened as the Legal Aid Commission of Victoria (LACV), with headquarters at 179 Queen Street, Melbourne, and offices in Brunswick, Geelong, Glenroy and Sunshine. In our first year we provided grants of assistance to almost 25,000 Victorians and started work in fulfilment of our obligations to educate the community about legal matters and advise the government on law reform.
Public Law Library
Our Public Law Library was opened in 1982 and offered a range of resources to the public and lawyers.
New offices in metropolitan and regional areas
We opened metropolitan and regional offices in Dandenong (1983), Preston (1983), Frankston (1984), Morwell (1985), Ringwood (1987) and Bendigo (1989).
Country community legal education programs
Our Education and Information Unit started country community legal education programs in Wangaratta and Warrnambool, the first of their kind in Australia.
Educational video wins international award
Our educational video, Getting Court, which told the story of a young man who goes to court to defend charges of car theft and exceeding 0.05, won an award for creative excellence in the United States.
Representation of South African woman affected by apartheid
We applied to the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs on behalf of a black South African immigrant who was applying for permanent residency on the grounds that her basic human rights were denied in South Africa as a result of the apartheid policy.
Sexual harassment case
We conducted the first case to come before the Equal Opportunity Board involving alleged sexual harassment by an employer. We also made the first application to the Victorian Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of a Crimes Compensation Tribunal decision.
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